


Bargaining Chip

by madwriteson



Category: Babylon 5
Genre: Centauri, Character Study, Gen, Snippet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:55:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28012794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madwriteson/pseuds/madwriteson
Summary: Timov's father tells her she's marrying Londo Mollari. Timov has some questions.
Relationships: Timov & her dad
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Bargaining Chip

Timov had always known that her marriage would be political in nature. That was what daughters were on Centauri Prime, at least among the elite: bargaining chips to be inevitably spent as families jockeyed for power.

So when her father told her that she would be marrying Londo Mollari, she accepted it without question.

Well, almost without question.

“Londo Mollari? Isn’t he the one who married a _dancing girl_ a few years ago?”

Her father closed his eyes and sighed, as if at the onset of a sudden headache. “My daughter, if you know what’s good for you, you will _never_ mention that rumor again.”

“He _did_ , didn’t he.”

“Timov…” her father cautioned her.

“Well, it’s not as if I’ll hold it against him. Rather brave of him to make a choice of the heart, even if it didn’t last.”

“More the choice of a drunkard,” her father said flippantly, before looking as if he wished he hadn’t said such a thing. Like his daughter Timov, Al Ghul was known for too often speaking the harsh truths that were on his mind, even if they were impolitic.

“ _Is_ he a drunkard, then?”

“He is rich, and the marriage settlements are generous. Beyond that, you do not need to care in the slightest about your future husband’s temperament.”

“I’ll be joining his household. I think I ought to care.”

Her father paused for a moment, his thoughts evident on his face as he considered the matter. “I have never heard of him becoming _vicious_ ,” he said diplomatically. “Wasting his money on gambling and dancing girls? Yes. But those are vices he shares with most men of his stature, and your portion will be protected. Even if those vices become his downfall, you will never become destitute.”

And she might, if she stayed in this household. Her family had an old name but not much else to offer, and even if what her father was describing sounded like a loveless marriage to an immature spendthrift, it might be the best she could expect.

She took a deep breath, straightened her spine, lifted her chin. She might be the daughter of a dying house, but she still had her pride.

“When is the wedding?”


End file.
